Gun-mounting



A. T. DAWSON AND G. T. BUCKHAM.

GUN MOUNTING.

A'PPUCATION FILED MAY 21. 91a.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A. T. DAWSON AND G. BUCKHAM.

GUN moumme.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZT. I918.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON AND GEORGE THOMAS BUCKHAM, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TO VICKERS LIMITED, OF WESTMINSTER,

ENGLAND.

GUN -MOUN TING.

Original application filed September 6, 1916, Serial No. 113,633.

Serial No. 236,919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Sir ARTHUR TREVOR Dawson, knight, and Sir Gnonen THOMAS Boom-1AM, knight, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Vickers House, Broadway, IVestminster, in the county of London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Gun-Mountings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gun mountings of the kind that are capable of swinging about a horizontal or approximately horizontal axis which is transverse to the axis of the gun and situated a substantial distance from a transverse plane containing the training axis of the gun so that the gun and its mounting as a whole can be readily dislaced in a downward direction from the ring position and housed, when not in use, within a chamber formed for example in the superstructure of a submarine or submersible boat. The kind of mounting to which the invention relates is thus distinct from that kind in which the mounting proper (that is to say the part with respect to which the gun moves in training) does not move with the gun during the displacement of the latter to and from its housed position.

According to the invention we employ gearing comprising a screw threaded shaft, and a nut for displacing the mounting as a whole about the aforesaid transverse axis. The gearing is preferably operated by a motor in which case means are provided for reversing the direction of movement of the gearing without necessitating the reversal of the motor.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, we will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation showing more or less diagrammatically a con structional form of the invention, and

Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively a sectional side elevation and a sectional end elevation showing on an enlarged scale the manner in which the gearing illustrated by Fig. 1 may be operated.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the operating means shown in Fig. 3.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

Divided and this application filed May 27,

A is the gun and B is the base of the mounting. C is the chamber in the superstructure of a submarine boat, for the reception of the gun and its mounting when in the housed position. This chamber may be closed by a waterti ht door C. D is a pivot pm which passes through the forward part of the base B.

In the example shown the gun is of the cone type with worm and worm wheel training and elevating gears the cone B being built up of steel plate. This cone moves with the gun in training and a ball or roller path may be interposed between its lower part and the base B of the mounting.

The gear for raising and lowering the mounting comprises two screw threaded shafts each engaging with a nut E pivotally mounted at c on the rear part of the base B. Each shaft is carried by a bracket e pivoted at e (Fig. 8) to the stationary structure and supported by a member E on the said structure between which member and the bracket 6 rollers or balls are placed. The shafts E, E are operated through suitable shafts and bevel or other gearing from the interior of the boat.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seen that the two screw threaded shafts E, E are arranged one at each side of the base B. In Fig. 2 the mounting is assumed to be in its lowered position and in Fig. 3 in its raised position. F (Fig. 3) is an electric or other motor situated within the submarine boat 4 and operating upon the shafts E, E simultaneously through the gearing shown. Suitable means operated by a handle f are provided for reversing the direction of movement of the shafts simultaneously without necessitating the reversal of the motor. For this purpose a rod f" operated by the handle f is connected to clutches f, f, each slidably keyed to the motor shaft F so that one or other of two beveled pinions, rotatably mounted on the said shaft and meshing with a beveled wheel on a shaft F operating the screw-threaded shaft E, can be connected to the shaft F". By operating these sliding clutches one or the other pair ofv beveled wheels, which are running loose, become rlV'lfi'lg units and serve to operate the shafts During the housing displacement the mounting a Whole moves through an angle substantially less than a. rightangle and the housing operation takes place Without the gun having to be inverted. It is to be understood that means would be provided for locking the mounting in either of its aforesaid positions.

ii ..lthough the pivot pin D is shown as being :ituated in front of a transverse plane containing the training axis of the gun, it is to be understood that it may be situated to the rear of the said plane, the mounting then swinging in a forward direction during the housing operation.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination with the training and the non-training portions ot a gun mounting. oi" a chamber in which the gun and mountin are adapted to be housed, means for pivoting the nou'training portion of the mounting so that during the housing displacement of the mounting as a Whole it moves through an angle substantially less than a right angle Without the necessity of inverting the gun. and gearing comprising a screw threaded shaft and a nut, for displacing the mounting about its pivot.

The combination with the training and the non-training portion of a submarine gun mounting, of a chamber in the superstructure of the submarine in which chamber the gun and mounting are adapted to be housed,

means for pivoting the non-training portion of the mounting so that during the housing displacement of the mounting as a whole it moves through an angle substantially less than a right angle Without the necessity of inverting the gun, a motor arranged Within the submarine, gearing operated by said motor for displacing the mounting about its pivot, and means for reversing the direction of movement of said gearing Without necessitating the reversal of the motor.

3. The combination with the training and the non-training portions of a submarine gun mounting, of a chamber in the super structure of the submarine in which chamber the gun and mounting are adapted to be housed, means for pivoting the non-training portion of the mounting so that during the housing displacement of the mounting as a Whole it moves through an angle substantially less than a right angle Without the necessity of inverting the gun, a motor arranged Within the submarine, members arranged one at each side of the mounting and operated simultaneously by said motor for displacing the mounting about its pivot, and means for simultaneously reversing the direction of movementof said members Without necessitating the reversal of the motor.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. GEORGE THOMAS BUGKHAM. 

